Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised the pitches in Puducherry for offering a balanced contest between bat and ball in the ongoing unofficial ODI series between India A and Australia A. Ashwin believes that such surfaces are ideal for 50-over cricket, as they challenge batters to adapt their approach and think tactically rather than relying solely on aggressive strokeplay.
Taking to X, the former India cricketer highlighted how even totals of around 250 have proved difficult to chase on the pitches at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground.
“Right now! Pondicherry seems to be producing the kind of pitches ODIs should be played on,” Ashwin wrote on X.
“250 chases look stiff! Producing pitches like these will demand more from the batters, tickle their tactical thinking and game awareness.”
Australia A dominate India A in unofficial ODI series
The pitches in Puducherry have offered bowlers plenty of assistance, with Australia A successfully defending totals below 300 in the first two matches of the series.
Australia A posted 274 in the opening unofficial ODI before bowling India A out for 149 to secure a comprehensive 125-run victory. The visitors continued their dominance in the second match, scoring 275 before restricting India A to 206 to win by 69 runs and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The third match followed a similar pattern, with India A managing 275 in their first innings. Across the first five innings of the series, only one century was recorded, with Australia batter Nathan McSweeney scoring a hundred in the opening game. There were also five half-centuries, underlining the challenges batters have faced in converting starts into substantial scores.
Ashwin’s comments come amid high-scoring India-West Indies ODIs
Ashwin’s remarks come after the recent ODI series between India and West Indies produced some remarkable batting performances, with the pitches offering considerably more assistance to the batters.
India chased down 406 in the second ODI in Guwahati, winning by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare. Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 223, while Rohit Sharma scored 101 as India completed one of the highest successful run chases in ODI history.
The third ODI also witnessed another high-scoring contest. India posted 351/7, with KL Rahul scoring 129, Rohit contributing 92 and Ruturaj Gaikwad adding 57. However, West Indies chased down the target with five wickets in hand and 10 balls remaining, thanks largely to captain Shai Hope’s outstanding 162.
While the Guwahati surface favoured strokeplay, the third ODI pitch proved trickier during the opening 10 overs before becoming better for batting. The contrasting conditions in the two series have once again brought the debate over ODI pitches into focus, with Ashwin advocating surfaces that test batters’ technique, patience and decision-making while keeping bowlers in the contest.
